Magazine

World Unite! in India

To describe India in a short text is even more difficult than trying to describe Europe in a few lines. India is a sub-continent with 28 states which are all very different from each other - there is an incredible variety of landscapes ranging from tropical rain forests to deserts and high mountains, 1.2 billion people, 21 official languages with their own writing systems, an ethnical variety of Indoarians, Dravidians and indigenous tribes, as well as believers of Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism and other religions.

Further, there is influence from Western culture which already started several hundred years ago through the Portuguese and particularly the British colonialization. And there is the developmental status of an emerging country: In India you will be faced with situations like in the poorest developing countries and at the same time with high technology and offers like in the leading cities of the western world. 35% of illiterates and the world's most qualified computer programmers live in India next to each other.

This makes India an exciting and difficult "to understand" country, and it makes one particularly addicted to visit it again and again. Even during a stay of several months it will not be possible to see and get to know everything that India has to offer.

Our main locations in India are Navi Mumbai (Bombay), Cochin (Kerala), Jodhpur and Setrawa (Rajasthan), Gurgaon and in the Himalayas, Palampur, Daramshala and Shimla (Himachal Pradesh).

Locations in India

Navi Mumbai

Check out our video on Navi Mumbai!

Judith from Germany shows us in this video, the city of Navi Mumbai. She completed a two-month internship at the local newspaper "Vashi Times". In the video, you will also meet Sudipta, our coordinator and supervisor in Navi Mumbai.

Navi Mumbai - City of Contrasts

Mumbai (Bombay) is the economic centre of India and with 14-20 million people, one of the largest megacities in the world. The city is the centre of the finance industry, trade, economy and fashion in India. "Bollywood", by the amount of films produced annually, is the largest film industry in the world. Symbols of wealth can be found at many places in Mumbai; the real estate prices in certain parts of Mumbai are amongst the highest in the world. As Mumbai was bursting at its seams, the city was expanded in 1972 to the east of the Thane Creek estuary, to Navi Mumbai. Navi Mumbai is seamlessly growing in the north with (Old) Mumbai, and there are numerous bridges connecting the two across Thane Creek. In Navi Mumbai, there are many modern businesses, shopping malls and modern infrastructure. Meanwhile, Navi Mumbai has itself 1.5 million inhabitants, with its own attractive city center, Vashi.

The other side of the success story is extreme poverty. Every day, hundreds of job-seeking people from all parts of India move to Mumbai, and in many cases, they settle down in slum areas which spread on all pieces of available land. In 2001, 54.1% of Mumbai's population were slum dwellers. The population density in the slums is oppresive (up to 340,000 people per square kilometre). Under such circumstances, problems such as a lack of hygiene and diseases, environmental destruction, crime, alcoholism and prostitution are the consequence. In Mumbai, we offer volunteering options related to these problems at charitable organizations, and also internships at leading companies of the city.

For most foreigners, Mumbai is probably not a city where they would love stay for the rest of their life - too crowded, noisy, hot and dirty. For a limited period of time however, it is surely exciting to be in Mumbai to understand and learn about the social processes of an emerging country's mega-metropolis.

The main languages of Mumbai are Marathi, Gujurati, Urdu and Hindi. English is spoken as a common language between speakers of the various mother tongues and is considered by the majority as their second language.

Our Coordinator in Mumbai

Our coordinator in Mumbai is Sudipta.

Recreational Activities in Mumbai

Mumbai is a city with a rich array of museums, events, attractions and shopping. You can also participate in various courses and activities such as dance, language training, yoga and sports.

If one moves out of the city, there are some interesting opportunities for rural tourism on the coast and inland. Check out our offers in Community Tourism in Maharashtra! Another great holiday destination is Goa.

Cochin/Kerala

Check out our video on Cochin!

In this video, you see our volunteers, Sophie and Claudia in Cochin and our coordinator, Antonio. Also featured are some activities that you can do in and around Cochin.

Kerala - the Land of the Coconut Palms:

In Malayalam, Kerala means "Land of the coconut palms". This tropical state in the south west of India is strong in traditions and culture. Ayurveda, the Kathakali, and Kalarippayat (probably the oldest martial art of the world), all come from Kerala. The society of Kerala however, has also been shaped by the trade and cultural exchange facilitated by sailing vessels on the Indian Ocean. As early as in the 4th century, traders brought Christianity and Islam to Kerala and therefore, these two religions have far more followers in Kerala than in other parts of India: around 55% of Kerala's population are Hindu, 25% Muslims and 20% Christians.

Kerala is very attractive and interesting for travelling, offering tropical beaches and islands, house boat tours on the "backwaters", impressive mountains (such as the tea plantation area of Munnar) and National Parks, as well as a rich cultural heritage.

Cochin - Historic Port Town

The coastal city of Cochin, with around 600,000 inhabitants, spreads over several islands and peninsulas which are all connected via bridges. Ferries can easily bring you to the other parts of the city. An important island is Fort Kochi, the historic old town, where you will be accommodated. In the past, Fort Kochi was an important Indian Ocean port. The Chinese in the 13th century, the Portuguese in the 15th century and the Dutch in the 17th century left their remains. The town of Fort Kochi with its old courtyards, walls, churches and palaces, has a compelling flair which attracts cultural and wellness tourists; therefore there are many restaurants, hotels and guest houses, handcrafts and esoteric shops, as well as events. At night, it is particularly safe in Fort Kochi, as the Indian police operates its own "tourism police station" with a quirky police uniform museum. The modern and big city part of Cochin is Ernakulam, which is situated on the mainland and has a railroad station, many offices and large shops. Vypin Island is popular for beaches.

Our Coordinator in Cochin

Our coordinator in Cochin is Antonio.

Recreational Activities in Cochin

As a tourist destination, Cochin offers many ways to spend your spare time. These include the famous boat trips with houseboats on the "backwaters", which is available as day trips or as a multi-day offers, in which case you sleep on the boat. A beautiful multi-day trip and a welcome climate change, is also a visit to the tea plantations in the mountains of Munnar. There are several beaches in the area of Cochin, where you can swim.

In Cochin itself, there are many places for Ayurvedic massages, demonstrations of the traditional theater "Kathakali", the martial arts "Kalaripayattu" and folk dances and music performances (as "World Learner", you can even learn these), as well as take yoga or cooking lessons. In Ernakulam, there are large shopping malls and many shops with great deals; Fort Cochin has many tourist shops and a large number of restaurants and cafes. In the late afternoons, locals, Indian tourists and foreign tourists gather on the beach promenade of Fort Cochin to see the sunset.

Jodhpur und Setrawa/Rajasthan

Music Video with the girls of Sambhali Trust in Jodhpur

In this music video, shot on the streets of Jodhpur, the girls of Sambhali Trust (with whom we arrange volunteering) sing and play. It communicates very well the mood of the city of Jodhpur!

Video of Setrawa/Sambhali Trust

Karina and Kerry, volunteers from South Africa, speak about their experience in the school of Sambhali Trust in the desert village of Setrawa. They also tell about life in the village.

Rajasthan - The Land of the Kings

Rajasthan is located in the North-West of India and means "Land of the Kings". More than 2500 years ago, tribes built cities and kingdoms were formed, which existed until the British colonial time in the 19th century. Due to its natural beauty, the kings' palaces and desert forts, Rajasthan is today, one of India's most popular travel destinations.

Jodhpur is called the "blue city" due to the colour of its houses. The city is overlooked by the mighty Meherangarh Fort. There is also a university in Jodhpur.

Setrawa is a village in the Thar desert, located around 100 km north of Jodhpur. A problem in Rajasthan is the scarcity of water. In the Thar desert, the only annual rains pour down in the form of heavy thunderstorms during the months of July to September, when temperatures normally go up to 50 degree Celsius. Traditionally, the water of these hot summer months are stored in ponds that are the shape of a half moon, called Johad. In the patriarchal society of the rural regions, women are denied access to education and social life.

Our Coordinator in Jodphur und Setrawa

Our coordinator in Jodphur and Setrawa is Govind from Sambhali Trust.

Recreational Activities in Jodhpur

In Jodhpur, there is the Mehrangarh Fort, as well as a large number of temples, historical and natural history museums, gardens and parks that you can visit. As is the case everywhere in India, you can take part in yoga classes in Jodhpur too.

You can also take a multi-day trip to the beautiful "pink city" of Jaipur. Jaipur is famous for its jewelry industry, which keeps more than 14,000 people employed, producing jewelry from metal, stone and lac.

Himalaya-Region (Himachal Pradesh & Rishikesh)

Photo Gallery: Himalayas

Maheshu (Shimla), Palampur, Dharamshala

Landscapes of Himachal Pradesh in the Indian Himalayas are perhaps the most impressive of all over India - framed by majestic snow-capped mountains of the Himalayan mountain range, are fresh valleys such as the Kangra Valley.

The region is sparsely populated and characterized by natural forests, meadows, steep inclinations and small-scale agriculture. There is also a limited amount of tourism, particularly by Delhi urbanites, who come here over the weekend to do hiking, meditation or rock climbing; also by foreign tourists who proceed deeper into the Himalayas, visiting Dharamshala, the place where the exiled Tibetans and the Dalai Lama live or visit the Chail Conservation Area, which is only 20 km away. You will find pure and fresh mountain air in breathtaking mountain scenery.

It is possible to travel to < strong>Maheshu by train from Delhi, whereby the last part of the way through the mountains will be traversed using a historical narrow gauge train, the Kalka Shimla Hill Railway, which is a UNESCO world heritage.

Palampur is a small town in Kangra Valley in the state of Himachal Pradesh, at an altitude of about 1300 m, about 470 km from Delhi. Also known as the "tea capital of north India", Palampur is a popular travel destination for nature and outdoor enthusiasts, with countless streams and rivers coming down from the mountains into the valley and alternate with tea plantations and rice fields in a unique scenic beauty. There are also many ancient temples and buildings from the British colonial period.

Dharamshala, which is also situated in the Kangra valley, about 60 km from Palampur, lies at an altitude of 1450 m and is home to many Tibetan exiles, of which the Dalai Lama is the most famous. Again, there are many Buddhist and Hindu temples here.

In the area of Palampur and Dharamshala, you can do many outdoor sports like hiking, climbing, paragliding, rafting, mountain biking, etc.

The people in the Himalayas are usually modest and reserved. They are financially quite poor; as they often have inherited land and have to rely on agriculture for income, they migrate for a higher standard of living, more than many other Indians, into overpopulated cities.

The country's population speaks Hindi. People with better education, usually speak good English.

Rishikesh

Located at the foot of the Himalayas, Rishikesh is a famous pilgrimage town. The Ganges flows by the town, which features not only by mythological significance as a holy river, but also with clear water and scenic beauty. The Ganges leaves the Himalayas from here, and then continues to flow through the plains of northern India to the Gulf of Bengal.

In Rishikesh, there are a number of temples and ashrams (religious hostels), both historical and built in recent times. The city attracts thousands of pilgrims and tourists, both from India, as well as from western countries. It is home to several yoga centers, in keeping with an age old tradition. Rishikesh therefore, has the reputation of being the "yoga capital" of the world. Hindus believe that meditation in Rishikesh, as well as a dip in the holy river Ganges, leads them closer to salvation (Moksha).

Our Coordinator in the Himalayas

Our coordinator in Maheshu, Dharamshala and Rishikesh is Vikas and his team from the Chrysalid Oudoor Camps. In Palampur, we work with Atul, a guide.

Gurgaon

Picture Gallery Gurgaon

Gurgaon

Gurgaon is a city in the catchment area southeast of the center of Delhi, close to the international airport of New Delhi, the largest in India.

For lack of space in New Delhi, Gurgaon has grown (like Navi Mumbai) enormously in recent years and has many new residential areas, business offices and shopping malls in which the richer youth and families from New Delhi and Gurgaon spend their leisure time.

With the modern Metro (Yellow Line), which was built for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, Gurgaon is half an hour (about 30 km) away from New Delhi.

The city of Gurgaon projects more and more into the rural areas, without the rules or the traditional familial structures of the rural kind.

Our Coordinator in Gurgaon

Our coordinator in Gurgaon, is Kaushik from Literacy India.

Activities in Gurgaon

By metro, within a short time, you reach the city of Delhi with all its attractions and deals. However, Gurgaon itself, is the city in which the richer population of New Delhi spends their free time in modern shopping malls.

Activities in India

Internships & Volunteering

In Navi Mumbai, Jodhpur, Cochin, Gurgaon and the Himalayas, we have many projects for volunteers and interns in the areas of Social Work, Education, Psychology, Environment and other professional services. Medical Internships and electives are there in Navi Mumbai, Palampur (Himalayas) and Cochin. In Navi Mumbai, we have also internships at various companies .

You can find all the projects available in the main menu above or by using the Activity Finder.

Active Travel

At various places in India, like Maharashtra and the Himalayas, we have deals in Community Tourism and Voluntourism.

Due to our excellent contacts with NGOs, government bodies and private organizations, we are the perfect partner for Group Study Tours and Special Interest Programs in India. This can be combined with a 1-3 days duration Workshop on Intercultural Competence in India .

You can find details of the projects in the main menu above, in "Active Travel".

World Learner

In Navi Mumbai you can learn English and Hindi in Language Training. Those interested can learn Traditional Practices like Ayurveda, Kalaripayyatu, Kathakali and cooking in Cochin/Kerala. Those interested in tea, can learn at tea plantations in Munnar, Kerala and in Palampur, Himalaya. Yoga can be organised in different locations.

You can find all the activities in the main menu above or by using the Activity Finder.